I'm-a Luigi, Number One!!!
by StarGlider
Summary: Luigi thinks up a plan to out-do Mario and gets caught up in his own web of lies... ~*NEW PART UP NOW--CHAPTER 7 ! ! !*~
1. 1

"I'm-a Luigi, number one!!!"  
  
*Part One*  
  
~ ~ ~ ~   
  
Luigi watched from a chair as Mario walked into the room. He wiped his hands on his blue overalls as if he had been working hard...maybe he had been. Luigi wouldn't know.   
  
  
"Ah...yet again, the Princess is-a safe." He sighed and sat down on the sofa in the center of the small apartment living room.  
  
  
So, Mario had done it again. He had gone through the pipes to save Mushroom Land, and in doing so had 'defeated' Bowser, freed the citizens and gotten on Princess Peach's good side. How many times had this happened...Luigi had lost count. What did it matter? He wasn't a part of that anymore.  
  
  
Luigi thought back to a time where he and Mario had first discovered the place called Mushroom Land. Never in their wildest dreams had the two Italian plumbers imagined that they would end up traveling through pipes to an amazing place such as that. And they never realized that they would have to save it so many times.   
  
  
The Princess Toadstool, or 'Peach' as they had casually started calling her, was always seeming to be in need of help in some way or another. At first, when Mario and he had found that she needed their help, the brothers had worked together. And, they had saved Mushroom Land together a few times after that. But then Luigi noticed that Mario was becoming more...well, independent. Since saving Mushroom Land was now a normal occurance, Mario would just go off on his own to stop Bowser. He didn't need Luigi. Besides, Luigi would be in the way...and since Mario was sweet on the Princess, he definately didn't want Luigi tagging along. He wanted to win Peach's heart, and he didn't want Luigi to interfere.  
  
  
But that was crazy. Peach couldn't possibly care for Luigi. He was just Mario's little brother, his 'side kick', in a way. Luigi had seen the way that she had looked at Mario, hell, even how she -kissed- him. She loved that chubby little plumber to death.   
  
  
But when it all came down to it, did he really care? What was it that made Luigi so sore about the fact that Mario didn't need him? Maybe it was that they -still- needed to earn a living...and what was Luigi to do with Mario gone so much? They had worked as a team as plumbers before all this, and even still. Luigi had done twice the work to keep up their income. Where else would the money come from?  
  
  
Luigi glanced over at his chubby brother. He sure seemed happy. "What-a are you smiling about?!" Luigi asked, slightly annoyed.  
  
  
"Hm? Oh, nothing..." Mario was obviously lying.  
  
  
"How did the-a Princess reward you this-a time?" asked Luigi, imagining the possibilities.  
  
  
Mario smiled a little wider. "A kiss. On-a the lips-a this time."  
  
  
Luigi sighed. Go figure. "You-a go, Mario." He stood up and walked to his room, not wishing to hear more about it.  
  
  
He wasn't -really- jealous now, was he? Naw, he couldn't care less. Things were the way they were, and nothing was going to change. But sometimes Luigi wondered what would happen if...  
  
  
Luigi couldn't help but let his mind wander a little. What -if- he was the star? What if Mario was the side kick instead? Luigi could only dream, but what a dream it was! Then the Princess would care about him, and all the people of the land would cheer for -him-, Luigi, the little Mario brother in green.   
  
  
But the longer Luigi thought about it, the more realistic it became. Was it somehow possible? Maybe...or...  
  
  
...Maybe he could make Mario -fail- in the process of saving Mushroom Land! Yes! He could do that! Maybe there was hope!  
  
  
Luigi began to think more and more about it. He could make Mario fail, and instead, -he- would succeed! He would save Mushroom Land, and make Mario look like an idiot!  
  
  
But then, there was a problem. Mushroom Land wasn't in need of help now. Mario had, after all, just saved it again for the billionth or so time. So, now what? Would Luigi just have to wait for trouble to strike?  
  
  
'No!' he thought suddenly. 'I'll just -pretend- that the land is in danger! Then I'll be there to -save- it before Mario can do a thing! Ooooh, this is the perfect plan!'  
  
  
By now Luigi was beaming. He would take Mario's place, he wouldn't be in the background from now on!  
  
  
Luigi ran as fast as he could to the warp pipe, knowing that things were about to change for him and he couldn't wait anymore.   
  
  
"Here-a we go-ooooo...!!!" He cried as he jumped down the pipe that lead to Mushroom Land.  
  
  
  
  
  
...to be continued 


	2. 2

~~@~~@~~@~~@~~@~~  
"I'm-a Luigi, number one!"  
~~@~~@~~@~~@~~@~~  
Part 2  
~@~  
By StarGlider  
  
  
It wasn't long before Luigi emerged from a pipe in Mushroom Land and was making his way toward the Princesses' caslte.  
  
Luigi had already begun to think of what he would tell the Princess when he got there. A lie, of course, since there was no trouble to speak of in the land, but somehow he would persuade everyone to believe that Bowser was back in business. He would have to pretend to save Mushroom Land, but...think of the recognition he would get! And the Princess...  
  
Luigi sighed with contentment, the wonderful thoughts running across his mind. The people would cheer, call out his name, and the Princess would realize that he was better than Mario. Luigi's life was taking a turn for the better.  
  
Walking up the path to the castle, Luigi recited what he would he would say. He thought for a second before entering, then pounded on the door. Then he barged in.  
  
"Boswer! He's coming back!"  
  
Everyone in the main hall looked at him in dismay.   
  
"What?" asked Peach, who was walking down the stairs from her room, "Bowser is back? Where's Mario? He'll know what to do! Oh, I'm so scared!"  
  
Luigi ran up to her. "But-a Princess...Mario isn't here!"  
  
"Oh, dear! What will we do?" Peach covered her mouth in fear.  
  
"Princess, don't fret! I'll-a save you!" Luigi assured her. "I'll go get rid of him right now! Don't-a you worry!"  
  
Peach seemed skeptical, but she shrugged. "Well...I guess it's the only way. Good luck, Luigi. Don't let me down!"  
  
"Not a chance!" Luigi assured her. He ran fearlessly out the castle door.  
  
"Yes! Score!" Luigi cried after he had shut the door. He would just leave and come back after a while, and then they would all think that he had saved them all. It was perfect.  
  
Luigi walked down the path, getting out of the castle's view. When he came to the ocean, he took a quick dip, and then rolled in the dirt. There would be no denying now that he had had a rough fight with Bowser. Luigi smiled, and sat down by the water, waiting a few more minutes before getting up and returning to the castle.   
  
Still beaming, Luigi approached the door. He opened it in one quick movement, running inside, pretending to be exhausted.  
  
"Oh! It was-a terrible! We fought and he-a almost had me but-a then I got him good! He didn't have-a chance and then--hey, where's-a the Princess?!"  
  
Toad walked solemnly over to the 'victorious' Luigi.  
  
"I don't know what your talking about, Luigi, but Bowser came here unexpectedly: The Princess is gone!!"  
  
  
  
To Be Continued... 


	3. 3

~~@~~@~~@~~@~~@~~  
"I'm-a Luigi, Number One!"   
~~@~~@~~@~~@~~@~~  
Part 3  
~@~  
  
  
Luigi looked shocked at Toad's words, and for obvious reasons. "Wha..wha...WHAT?!?"  
  
The mushroom nodded his head. "You heard what I said! The Princess was taken by Bowser only minutes ago!"  
  
Luigi cursed under his breath and shook his fist. "I...don't believe this!"  
  
"Well, neither do I, especially since _you_ said you had already taken care of him...and that was _while_ he was kidnaping the Princess!!" Toad had a smirk on his face. He knew Luigi had been trying to fool them.  
  
"But...oh, what's-a the use. You can see right through me. Ah, I-a guess we'd better tell-a Mario..."  
  
Toad shook his head. "Uhm, actually...we already tried. He's not there."  
  
Luigi's face turned a flushed color.   
  
"It's true! We can't contact him. I don't know what we'll do now." He was looking at Luigi.  
  
"But...oh I-a see what your-a trying to say! And-a no, I can't go and save the Princess!" He folded his arms. "That's-a Mario's job!"  
  
The mushroom's voice was a bit pleading. "Oh, come on! I always thought you were as good as Mario any day. You wanted to prove yourself to the Princess, and now, here's your chance! You must save the Princess and us all!"  
  
Luigi was in thought. "Hmmm. I-a guess your right...I-a guess it's-a my fault in a way too. Well..."  
  
Toad was glancing at him helplessly.  
  
"Oh.....oh-a kay. I'll-a do it. I'll save-a the Princess Peach!" He held up his fist, and he tried to look like some kind of super hero.  
  
"Oh, thank goodness! Now, you'd better hurry up! Who knows where they are by now."  
  
"Don't-a worry, Toad. Everythings-a going to be fine!" Luigi ran to the castle doors. "Here I go!!"  
  
He ran out, slamming the doors behind him.  
  
Toad just stood there, sighing. "We're screwed."  
  
  
  
~ ~ ~  
...To be continued... 


	4. 4

~~@~~@~~@~~@~~@~~  
"I'm-a Luigi, Number One!"  
~~@~~  
Part 4  
~~@~~  
  
  
Luigi made his way down the castle path. Where would he even _find_ Bowser? He didn't know where he would be, how far away, or how to defeat him. Luigi was already off to a bad start.  
  
What would Mario do? Luigi tried to think, but it had been so long since he had come with Mario. Besides....wait, what was he doing trying to do things like Mario?! Wasn't the whole idea of his being here to prove that he was as good or better than Mario was? And even if he wasn't capable of defeating Bowser, at least he'd fail doing it his _own_ way.   
  
Actually, the more Luigi thought about this, the dumber it sounded. "Who am I kidding," he said out loud, "If I'm-a doomed to fail, why try?" Luigi sat down beneath a tree, out of the castle's view. "Well, Momma Mia always loved me-a best, right? She-a said that-a I could do what ever I dreamed of, and...I want to save-a the Princess! I can do it! I am-a capable!" After a moment, though, Luigi realized that he sounded like an after-school special on TV. "Well, anyway...I think I can-a handle it, if-a Mario can!" He stood up, and resumed walking.  
  
Luigi could remember a few things from traveling Mushroom Land with Mario. First, there were many lands and castles that he and Mario had gone through and beaten to save the Princess, though it wasn't until the last one that they had always found her. Luigi had always seen the fault in his...what was the point in going somewhere distant and defeating a castle when the Princess wasn't even there?   
  
But something seemed different now. Well, maybe the difference was that Luigi had no clue where to go.  
  
The tall Italian sighed as he walked on. Why was this always to easy for Mario? Probably because he went the same way every time. The same way, similar castles, enemies, lands...would Luigi have to do the same thing?  
  
Luigi continued down the dirt path, hoping that it would lead him in the right direction. But, of course, there was soon a conflict.  
  
It wasn't long before Luigi could see a fork in the path. Actually, the path split into four different paths, all headed in four different directions. There wasn't a sign anywhere. Luigi groaned.  
  
"Oh! Moma Mia, now what?! There's-a no way I'll pick-a the right one!" And with that, he fell to the ground in the middle of the four paths.  
  
"Huh?" Luigi was suddenly looking intently at the dirt on the second path.   
  
The green-clad plumber crawled closer to it. There was something there, all right...  
  
"Marks! Foot prints, scratches in the dirt!" he cried out. "This-a looks like Bowser's foot print...and-a the Princess...musta been a struggle..."  
  
He stood up, dusting the knees of his overalls, and nodded. "This-a way, then!"  
  
Luigi began down the second path.   
  
Soon, the other three paths disappeared behind Luigi, and after about a mile, green trees began to clutter around the path. He had reached a forest.  
  
Luigi had no clue where he was--he knew he had never been here before. Mushroom Land was huge, but obviously even bigger than Luigi had ever thought. This forest was strange to him, but even so, he at least had the feeling that he was going in the right direction now.  
  
The path grew darker before Luigi as more trees, ever taller, loomed above. He was in the heart of the forest, and all he had to rely on was the path.  
  
Suddenly, there was a noise. Luigi stopped dead in his tracks.   
  
The noise was just ahead, at least a few feet into the forest.  
  
Luigi wasn't at all sure what it could be, but he was ready to face it.  
  
"Show yourself!" Luigi cried, "Or-a face the consequences!"  
  
  
~ ~ ~ 


	5. 5

"I'm-a Luigi, Number One!"  
Part 5  
~~~  
  
  
Luigi stood in a defensive stance, looking in the direction of the sound. "I said--show yourself!"  
  
He heard a squeaky noise, and watched as the bushes began to rustle. Luigi was scared, but ready to face whatever was waiting for him behind those bushes. Peach's fate depended on him now.  
  
The thing shot out of the bushes very quickly. However, Luigi's reaction was also quick, and he lunged, landing on top of whatever it was.  
  
A small voice cried out. "Heeeelp! Heeeelp! What's gooooing on?" The thing wriggled around in Luigi's arms.  
  
Luigi heaved himself up, still holding the thing down, and looked at it.  
  
To his surprise, Luigi saw a Mushroom person, wearing the normal vest and sporting bluish spots on it's head. Luigi also saw a basket in it's hands, and small, edible mushrooms strewn all over the ground.  
  
Luigi immediately hopped up, surprised at what he had done, and helped the little Mushroom up. "I'm-a sorry..." he told it in an embarrassed voice.  
  
The Mushroom was quivering a little, brushing itself off. "Whooooo....whooo are yoou?" it asked.  
  
Luigi was a tad annoyed that they didn't know. "I'm-a Luigi! Don't you know who I am?"  
  
The Mushroom looked thoughtful for a moment. "Ooooh! Yeees, your Mario's little brother!! Riiight?"  
  
Luigi huffed. "Uh...yes, that's'a right. Mario's brother..." He folded his arms. "So, you--what'sa your name, and what were you-a doing here?"  
  
"My naaaame's Shroom," the Mushroom replied in a squeaky voice, "and I waaas gathering Mushrooms in the fooorest."  
  
'Isn't that like canabalism?' Luigi wondered, but didn't say that out loud. "Well, anyway-- could I ask you a question?"  
  
"Suuure..." Shroom said, seeming to have mostly recovered from the scare.  
  
"Ok...then, did you happen to see-a some people walking by here?"  
  
"Through theeese wooooods?" Shroom asked, "I've beeen back in the treeees, but I think I heard something on the trail eaaaarlier."  
  
Luigi was growing annoyed with Shroom's shrill voice, but was glad for the information.  
  
"Thanks," he told the mushroom. "I guess I'll keep-a going, then."  
  
Shroom nodded, but he looked as if he were eager to say something more. Luigi gave him a wondering glance.  
  
"Do you want to a say-a something?" Luigi questioned at last when Shroom said nothing.  
  
"Um...yeeeah...I was thinking that you've never beeeen in these woods befooore...maybe you want some heeelp getting trooough."  
  
Luigi hadn't been expecting this, but aside from the fact that Shroom was a bit irritating, it might be good to have some help--and some company.  
  
"Ok...you can help me for a while," Luigi answered. Shroom smiled, and Luigi watched as he picked up his mushrooms and put them back in the basket.  
  
"Let's-a go," Luigi said, and he and Shroom made their way down the forest path before them. 


	6. 6

"I'm-a Luigi, Number One!" Part 6  
__________________________  
  
  
The journey through the darkening woods was, for the most part, quiet and peaceful, in a sense. Luigi hadn't bothered to ask Shroom any other questions. Maybe it was because he didn't want him to talk in his shrill voice; maybe it was because he didn't want to know about his mushroomy past. But just the same, Luigi was silent, and so was Shroom.  
  
The woods were very dark now, and the two travelers were growing weary. The little mushroom seemed especially energetic, though, considering how tiny he was. Luigi was a bit surprised by this, butstill knew that Shroom must be at least half as tired as her was.  
  
"Lets-a rest," Luigi suggested a moment later. Shroom nodded, and they found an empty meadow a few feet ahead.  
  
Again, Luigi was surprised at how swiftly and easily the Mushroom was able to build a fire and get a camp set up. It was as if he had done this all his life. Luigi grew curious.  
  
"So,-a Shroom. A where do you come from?"  
  
The Mushroom looked up from the fire he was starting. He seemed a little tense, and faltered for a minute. Then he spoke.  
  
"IIIII...III caaaame from a smaaaall...muuushroooom villaaaaage," he said at last, in a careful voice.  
  
"You-a don't like to talk about it, eh?" Luigi said, assuming that was the reason that Shroom seemed a bit secretive.  
  
"Eeeer, yeah, thaaat's it."  
  
Luigi nodded, still somewhat suspicious, but then remembered the timid manner of the Mushroom. "I'm-a sorry to ask," he said.  
  
They ate-- Shroom, from his basket of mushrooms, and Luigi from a berry bush he had found. He already missed the Italian food that he and Mario had thrived on back in Brooklyn. He hadn't thought to bring any of *that* along.  
  
They both found soft places in the grass to to serve as beds, and eventually, they both fell asleep under the stars.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
When Luigi woke up, he looked around. They would be best off to leave as soon as possible. He sat up, stretched, and looked over to Shroom to wake him up.  
  
But he wasn't there.  
  
Luigi glanced in every direction. "Shroom!" he yelled for the Mushroom. He stood, and again yelled. "SHROOM!!"  
  
The small figure emerged from some nearby bushes. "Huuuuh?"  
  
"Where-a were you? You can't-a just run off like that! We have to leave!!"  
  
Shroom walked up to Luigi. "Sorrrrrry.....I had to gaaaather more muuuuuushrooooms."  
  
Luigi rolled his eyes. "Oh, a alright. But if-a you're going to travel with me, you must-a stay with me!"  
  
"Oooook. Sooooorrry."  
  
They got their things (which wasn't much) and left their camp. The trail seemed far more inviting to Luigi in the morning sun.  
  
Just the same, Luigi couldn't help but feel...strange. It was almost like there was someone watching him or something as he walked down the path. Maybe there was some huge animal lingering in the trees, or, maybe...Bowser himself.  
  
Luigi shuddered, and looked around him. He didn't *see* anything. He shrugged, and took a deep breath.  
  
"Uhhhhh, Luigi," he heard Shroom say as he opened his eyes. "Look."  
  
The trees were less, and the sky was much clearer. Luigi smiled as he realized what had happened: they were out of the forest.  
  
"At-a last!" he said, "we're out!" Luigi looked around him, and saw that a valley lay below him and the forest. "Where are we now?" ha asked, "I've never seen this-a place before."  
  
"It's caaaalled Fungi Vaaalley, I'm suuuure," Shroom told him. "I thiiink there's a towwwwwn down there, tooo."  
  
"We can get some supplies there," Luigi observed. "Let's-a get going, then."   
  
He gestured to Shroom, and he followed as Luigi followed the trail down into Fungi Valley.   
  
~ ~ ~  
...To Be Continued... 


	7. 7

&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*  
"I'm-a Luigi, Number One!"  
&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*  
Part 7  
*****  
  
  
Upon entering Fungi Valley and looking at the little town that was nestled within it, only one word came to Luigi's mind— Havoc.  
  
Around the little town, several trees had caught fire or had been torn down, and that was nothing compared to the village itself. Luigi could have sworn that a hurricane had just swept through, and, worriedly, he and Shroom looked around for any survivors.  
  
It turned out that many of them— Mushroom people— were hiding away behind the ruins. They were obviously shaken; many were crying, some yelling, while others tried to salvage what they could of their belongings from the town's rubble. Luigi and Shroom made their way to the small gathering, quite astounded and altogether confused about the grim situation that they were in the middle of.  
  
They shuffled past busy people, but none of them even seemed to notice that they were there. Luigi walked up to one of the Mushrooms.  
  
"E— excuse me, but—"  
  
"Outta my way!! Outta my way!!" The Mushroom yelled, and ran off.  
  
"Um," Shroom asked someone else, "could yooooou tell us what juuust—"  
  
"You're in the way!!!"  
  
Luigi again tried to ask other people their simple question, but they all brushed him off or ignored him in their fearful haste. Luigi and Shroom gave up, and dispersed from the busy crowd.  
  
They walked off a bit, still hoping to find the answers they were so eager to have.   
  
A young lady Mushroom sat alone on a log, her light brown hair bouncing softly as she nervously swayed back and forth. She barely noticed Shroom and Luigi as they approached her.  
  
"Uh...miss?" Luigi ventured, taking another step forward.  
  
The young Mushroom sniffled, and glanced up tearily at the man in green. "He..hello..."  
  
Luigi was starting to feel a little guilty for bothering the poor little Mushroom, but he still went on. "Er— I was just wondering...what-a happened to your little village, just now?" He leaned down as to seem less intimidating.  
  
"Well..." the girl breathed in shakily, "I'm...I'm afraid that it was a huge Koopa."  
  
Luigi bit his lip. "You don't mean— Bowser, by any chance?"  
  
She nodded. "Yes, I think so. I mean, I didn't really *see* him...but I did hear him rage through."  
  
"Did he haaave the priiiiincess?" Shroom questioned.  
  
"I really don't know that," said the lady, "but I can only assume...I escaped from my home just in time to watch him run off into the shadows." She buried her head in her little hands.  
  
Luigi sat down next to her. "It's...it's-a alright..." He patted her gently on the back. "By the way...what is your name?"  
  
She looked up again, wiping tears away from her eyes. "Me...my name is Amanita, and I've lived here for a few years.. My house was completely destroyed just now...and I need a place to stay, because like all these other people, everything I had is gone ..." She sniffled again.  
  
"Toooo baaaad we can't heeeelp you," Shroom pipped up from Luigi's side.  
  
"Well," Amanita went on, "my old friend lives not too far away, and I could go see her for a place to stay, but. . .after all this happening, I'm too scared to go into the woods by myself. Maybe...maybe that Bowser will get me out there!!" She shuddered, squeezing her hands together. "Oh, I don't know what to *do*!"  
  
Luigi opened his mouth, but Shroom jumped out suddenly. "Well, tooooo bad," he said hastily. "We haaaave to get goooing, Luigi..."  
  
"No, wait," Luigi said. "Which-a way did you say Bowser went?"  
  
Amanita pointed to the east road. "That way— the same way I have to go to see my friend."  
  
Luigi barely needed to think about it. "Well, why don't-a you come with us?" he suggested openly. "We could help you get to your destination safely, and we'd still'a be going the right way."  
  
Amanita's face brightened. "Really?! You *mean* it?"  
  
"Why-a, sure!" Luigi told her, "we wouldn't-a mind a bit!" He heard from Shroom what sounded like grumbling, but he ignored it.  
  
"Well... OK, I'll go!" Amanita exclaimed joyfully. She hopped up from the log. "It's this way," she stated, pointing and walking in the direction of the east road.  
  
"OK!" said Luigi, and he followed her, Shroom trudging gloomily behind him.  
  
  
  
_______  
...To Be Continued....  
_______ 


End file.
